Machine for carbureting air



M. s. LEvE AND L. DE LAlTTE.

MACHINE FOR CARBURETING AIR.

L. 2. 91 1:1.. Lm. .Q wn Nu H ms APPLICATION FILED AUG.6 1918. 1,395,505.

FIG-.1.

WIT/155555 INVENToRs M. s. LEvE AND L. s.' DE LAINE MACHINE FOR. CARBURETING AIR..

APPLICATION FILED AUG6| 1918.

Patented NOY. 1, 1921.

4 SHEETS-SHEEI 2.

. FIGB INVENTORS Www@ 4% Kw.'

M. S. LEV AND L. B. DE LAINE. MACHINE FOR CARBURETING Am.

. APPLICATION FILED AUG6|1918 l 1,395,505. Patented Nov. 1,1921.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

M. S. LEV AND L. B. DE LAITTE. MACHINE FOR CARBURETING AIR. APPLICATION FILED AuG.6. 191s.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MAECUSSILEV, 0F OAKLAND, AND LEOPOLD B. DE LAITTE, 0F SAN FRANCISCO, CALI- EOENIA, ASSIGNoE-s, BYDIREOT AND IvIEsNE ASSIGNMENTS, To LEONTINE DANDE- VILLE, 0E SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

MACHINE EOE CARBURE'IING AIE..

Appncatin med August e, 191s.

T 0 all whom t 'may concern.' l

Be it known that we, MARCUS S. LEv, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oakland, in the county of Alameda. and State of California, and LEOPOLD BENOIT- DE LAITTE, a citizen of France, lresiding .in the city and county of San Francisco, State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improve-ments in Machines for Carbureting Air, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention Vrelates to improvements in machines for charging air with carbonaceous vapors consisting of gasolene fumes, the air so carbureted being used for heating or lighting purposes, and the object of our invention is to produce a machine capable of charging air with hydrocarbon vapors, forming a gaseous mixture of uniform heating value. y

Another object of our invention is to so proceed with the vaporization ofthe gasolene and the incorporation of the fumes with the air, as to vaporize the several different hydrocarbons composing the gasolene liquid in quantities varying with the proportion of their amount contained in the gasolene, thus leaving no volatile residue.

The further object of our invention is to provide means for automatic self adjustment of the device feeding into the machine the liquid hydrocarbons to be vaporized, as to increase or diminish the quantity thus fed, whenever there is a change in proportionl of the several ingredients composing the said liquid, in order to obtain carbureted air having uniform heating value.

The construction and manner of operation of our machine will be better understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification, and in which Figure 1 is a top plan, showing the driving mechanism and the relative position of the several main parts ofthe machine; Fig. 2 is a similar plan of the machine with the upper portion removed in order to show more clearly the arrangement of the carbureters. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the machine; Fig. 4 is a detail of the driving mechanism operating the measuring device and the elevating device supplying gasolene to the carbureters; Fig. 5

Specification of Letters Patent.

is a longitudinal Patented N ov. `1, 1921.

Serial No. 248,655.

sectional elevation of the machine taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 2; Fig. 6 is a section through the gasolene tank showing the measuring device in position; Fig. 7 is a sectional elevation of the lower portion of the machine taken on line 7-7 of Fig. 1; Fig. 8 is a cross section of the machine taken on line 8-S of Fig. 1; and Fig. 9 is a side elevation of the chamber 54 showing the elevating device in position.

In the drawings 1 represents a tank lled with water up to the level 2.

A rotary air pump 8 is placed inside the water tank 1.

The rotary pump is formed of the two circular side plates 4 and 5 joined together b a number of curved plates '9. The said circular side plates are provided with central openings 6, and carry the spiders 7, whereby they are securely mounted upon a central shaft S held in the bearings 10 and 11.

The curved plates 9 arepl'aced around the central shaft 8 beginning at one end near the periphery of the side plates, and after running for some distance along an arc concentric with the shaft, they divert toward said shaft and terminate at theother end near the center. v I The pump is partly submerged in the water of the tank, leaving a portion projecting above the water level.

A narrow cylindrical drum 30 is secured to theside 5 of the pump;

The.. pump is driven by an electric motor 12. carrying the small pulley 13 connecting by means of the belt 14 with the pulley 15 secured at one end of the shaft 16.

Apinion 17 keyed at the other end of the shaft 16 is made to mesh with ,the gear 18 mounted upon the counter shaft 19, while a pinion 2O keyed to said counter shaft is arranged to drive the idler gear 21, which is mounted upon a stationary pin 22 and meshes with the gear 23` carried by the central shaft 8 of the pump.

A hood 24 made air tight and open at the bottom is placed on the top of the tank 1 over the pump, the lower portion being immersed inthe wate-r forming an air tight seal.

A gas holder or gasometer is placed on top of the hood 24, said gasometer consisting of a cylindrical tank formed of an outer wall and an inner wall 26, leaving a concentric space 27 between them, which is filled with water. A cylindrical-hood 28 open at the bottom is placed over the said cylindrical tank, the ouen end beino sealed b enterin' l z: b

the concentric space 27 and submerging in the water. Y

A U bent tube 31 is secured to the tank 1, one of the branches ofsaid tube entering the interior of the cylindrical drum 30, and the other end, extending upward above the level of the water in the tank 1, enters a tube 32 leading `to the interior of the gasfoineter. Then the pump is made to rotate lin the direction of the arrow, the outer ends of the curved plates 9, projecting above the water level, inclose a volume of air when submerging, and carrying said air below the water level toward the center, discharge it under pressure into theY cylindrical drum 30, and thence intothe gasometer through l the bent tube 31.

Theremoval of the air from beneath the hood 24 causes the lowering ofthe air pressure below said hood. y Vaporizing pans or carbureters 33 and 34 are placed in the inside ofthe tank 1, the carbureter 33 being placed at one side of the rotary pump 3V and the carbureter 34 at the other side. Y

The carbureters are made of long flat tubes bent in the shape of oblong helices, the several coils sloping veryrslightly downward, in order to retard the flow of the li uid. e v Y niet tubes`35 and 36 for the admission of gasolene areV secured at one end to the carbureters near the top,the other end passing through the wall of the tank 1 projects outside; and drain tubes 37 and 38 secured to the carbureters at the bottom pass through the wall of the tank 1, conveying the residue of the unconsumed liquid outside the tank.

A tank 39 containing thegasolene to be vaporized is attached to the side of the tank 1 `adjoining the carbureter 33, Yand a measuring device, adapted to scoop up aV measured volume of gasolene, discharging it into a funneldraining into the carbureter 33, is placed inside the tank 39.

The measuring device comprises a scooping cup 40 provided with anv opening 41, a measuring` cup 42 formed with an opening 43, and a tube 44 joining said cups. The tube 44 is secured to a pivoting `pin 45, and receives an oscillating motion from a crank 46, carried upon a shaft 47, joining by means ofa connecting rod 48 with an arm 49 secured to said pivoting pin.

At each upward stroke of the measuring device the scooping cup 40 brings up a volume of liquid, which passing through the tube 44, fills the measuring Vcup 42, the surplusoverflowing through the opening 43; and in therdownward stroke the cup 42 empties its contents through the tube 50 into the funnel 51 which connects with the inlet tube 35 of the carbureterg33. j

The gasolene'delivered into the carbureter, draining downward along the several coils, spreads out over the entire bottom, presenting a great area of wetted surface eX- posed to the current of air passing through,

' and the gasolene vapors given off from over the entire wetted surface diffuse in the air and are carried off into the hood 24, whence they are transferred by the rotary pump into the gasometer.

The surplus of gasolene remaining in the liquid state continues draining toward the bottom, and becomes discharged through the drain tube 37 and the conduit 52 into Ythe well 53 at the bottom of the chamber 54 which is vlocated on the opposite end of the tank 1.

The chamber 54 is secured to the side of the tank 1 adjoining the carbureter 34. It carries a funnel 55 draining into the inlet tube 36. Y j

An elevating .device comprising a scooping spoon 56 attached to a tube 57 is secured to apivoting pin 58, and receives an oscillating swinging motion from a crank 61 secured to the `shaft47 connecting by means of a link 60 with an arm 59 secured to the tube 57. Y i

' At each upward` stroke of the elevating Vdevice the scooping spoon 56 brings up a volume of liquid from the well 53, and raisin it above the discharge end 62 of the tu e757, discharges the contents into the funnel 55, which empties through the inlet tube 36 into the carbureter 34.

The gasolene over the entire bottom surface of the carbureter 34 becomes subject to the action of the current of air, and gives off the remaining portion'of the volatile matter in fumes, which become diffused with the air; while the rest of the liquid, if any, consisting of heavy'hydrocarbons, passes out through the drain tube 38 and is discarded as residue.

The shaft 47, carryingthe crank 46 actuating the measuringA device and the crank 61 actuating the elevating device, receives motion from the idler gear 21 engaging a friction wheel 63, which is secured to a sliding sleeve 64 fitted with a feather 65 to the shaft 47.

The ratio of gearing between said friction wheel 63 and the idler gear 21 may be varied by moving said friction wheel toward the center of the gear, thus diminishing the speed of said wheel or away from the said center, thus increasing the speed.

The air to be carbureted is drawn in by suction through the inlet pipe 66 into the bottom of the carbureter 34, whence it flows in an upward direction, then leaving the carbureter 34 at the top passes through the pipe 67 and enters the conduit 68 connecting with the bottom of the carbureter 33, and flowing in an upward direction through said carbureter 33, it becomes discharged through the conduit 69 into the interior of hood 24, where the air pressure is kept below atmospheric by the actionof the rotary pump 3.

The air within the hood 24, saturated with hydrocarbon vapors while passing through the carbureters 34: and 33, is then conducted by the rotary pump 3 through the tubes 31 and 32 into the gasometer 28, and is thence discharged through the outlet 29, which in practice connects with the gas main (not shown).

When a measured .charge of gasolene is introduced at the top of carbureter 33, the most volatile constituents the liquid covering the wetted surface become vaporlzed first, while the heavier constituents left in the liquid state keep gradually draining downward along the wetted surface, where coming in contact with air less saturated, they continue giving olf vapors of the more volatile hydrocarbons then remaining, leaving in the liquid state the still heavier constituents, which continue draining along' the lower portion of the carbureter covering a large wetted surface.

VThe liquid covering theV bottom of the carbureters 33 and 34 thus variesin composition all along through the entire length of the continuous channel formed by them, being rich in light hydrocarbons at the top of the carbureter 3,3, where the gasolene is first fed in, becoming gradually poorer all along as vaporization takes place, and near the bottom of the carbureter 34: the liquid remaining consists of heavy hydrocarbons only, which vaporize very slowly.

The flow of air through each of the carbureters, as it may be observed, is from the bottom upward, whilek the draining of the gasolene is in the opposite direction.

The air entering at the bottom of carbureter 34 begins to act upon the most refractory portion of the gasolene, when it is least saturated and most capable of promoting vaporization, and becoming more and more saturated, as it moves farther upward, it comes in contact with liquid of a gradually increasing volatility and readily vaporizes and incorporates it.

The several hydrocarbons constituting by their mixture the gasolene used, while passing through the continuous conduit of the carbureters, thus arrange themselves automatically in order of their volatility, each constituent covering a wetted surface Vincreasing directly vith the proportion of the whole it forms part of, and inversely with its volatility, an arrangement tending to promote the vaporization of those ingredients which form a very large portion of the liquid, or which by their nature are evaporated with dilliculty.

The several volatile hydrocarbons thus become evaporated and incorporated with the air in quantities varying with the proportion of their amount contained in the gasolene, leaving no volatile residue.

When gasolene rich in light hydrocarbons is used, the measured charge of the liquid introduced in the carbureter 33 becomes evaporated and incorporated with the air long before reaching the bottom part of the carbureter 34, the entering air then merely passes through said lower part without absorbing any vapors.

Then the composition of the liquid is poorer in light hydrocarbons, the wetted surface covered by the liquid increases, covering the entire bottom of both carbureters; vaporization then takes place through the entire length of the channel of the carbureters, and a portion of the liquid remaining is discharged through the drain tube 38.

F or controlling the amount of gasolene incorporated with the air, in order to form a gaseous mixture of uniform heating value, there is provided a thermostat, heated by a jet of carbureted air taken from the gasometer of the machine, and. is so connected with the mechanism actuating the measuring devices, as to supply more often a charge of gasolene when the heating value of the mixture falls, and less often when it rises.

The thermostat consists of a spiral 70, formed of two strips of metal 71 and 72, having different coefficients of expansion, brazed together. One end 73 of said spiral is made stationary, by being secured to a post 7 el, while the other end 75 is operatively connected by means of a connecting rod 7 6 with the bent lever 77 actuating the sliding sleeve 64 together with the friction wheel 63.

A burning' jet 73 supplied with carbureted air taken from the gas supply pipe is placed under the thermostat.

1When the heating value of the carbureted air falls below normal, the temperature of the spiral falls, and the several coils contracting actuate the connecting rod 76, moving it in the direction of the arrow, thus causing the friction wheel 63 to move toward the outside of the idler gear.

rlhe relative speed of the shaft 47 to that of the idler gear 2l or of the rotary air pump 3 is thus increased, causing an increase in the amount o'f gasolene delivered into the carbureters and a rise in the heating value of the carbureted air.

Then the heating capacity of the carbureted air rises above normal, the thermostat spiral becomes overheated, and the coils expand, causing the motion of the connecting rod in the direction opposite to that of the arrow. The friction wheel 63, moving toward the center of the idler gear, decreases the speed of the shaft 47, and retarding the delivery of gasolene into the carbureters, causes `the lowering of the heatingv value of the carbureted air.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: y

1. In a machine of the character described the'combination or' a vaporizing pan comprising a long conduit provided with a sloping bottom forming the vaporiaing surface; an inlet opening Jor the admission oi' gasolene, andan outlet opening tor the discharge of air, both located at the top of said conduit; an air inlet aperture located at the bottom of said conduit; a device tor introducing gasoleneV through said inlet opening discharging it upon said downwardly sloping vaporizing surface; andan air pump adapted to carry a volume of air through said conduit over said sloping vaporizing suriace in an upward direction from said inlet 'aperture at the bottom to said outlet opening atthe top.

2. ln a machine ci the character described the combination of a vaporizing pan comprisinga long conduit provided with a sloping bottom forming the vaporizing surface; an linlet'opening for the admission of gasolene and an outlet opening for the discharge of air, both located at the top of said conduit; an inlet aperture located at the bottom of said conduit; an air pump adapted to carry a volume of air through said conduit over said sloping vaporizing surface in anupward direction from said inlet aperture to said outlet opening; and a measuring device for introducing a measured volume of gasolene through said inlet opening discharging it at the top or said sloping vaporizing surface.

8. In a machine oi' the character described a water tank; a vaporizing pan formed of a plurality of sections placed within said tank, each section comprising a long conduit provided with a sloping bottom, an inlet opening for the admission of gasolene, and an outlet opening for the discharge of air, both-located at the top of each of said sections; an air inlet aperture,

and a drain pipe located at the bottom o1p4 each section; a pipe connecting the .air discharge aperture of one of said sections and the air inlet opening of another section; means for introducing gasolene through the inlet pipe of the said lfirst section; and means for collecting gasolene from the drain pipe' of the said irst section, delivering it into the inlet pipe of said other section.

4:. ln an apparatus of the character described, two carbureting devices connected together, a pump for causing a flow of air through said two devices in series, a device for introducing liquid hydrocarbon into the second device adjacent the carbureted mixture outlet, said hydrocarbon being ,partially vaporized in said second device, a -chamber intowhich the unvaporized hydrocarbon passes, and a device for introducing changes of said kunvaporized hydrocarbon into the first carbureting device, the carbureted mixture formed in the iirst device passing into the second device.

5. In an apparatus of the -character described, a closed casing containing liquid, two carbureting devices submerged inl said liquid, a pump partially submerged in said liquid for drawing air through said devices in series and agitating said liquid, means for introducing liquid hydrocarbon into the latter device of vthe series in which a portion of the hydrocarbon is vaporized, and means for introducing theV unvaporized hydrocarbon into the first device of the series.

'MARCUS S. LEV.

L. B. DE LAITTE. Witnesses:

A. NEWMAN, H; HALLER. 

